Improvement in propellers for vessels



Patented Nov. 21, 1871.-

LEW1S DE LILL Improvement in Propellers for Vessels.

WITNESSES= UNITED STATES LEWIS DE LILL, OF 'PH(ENIX, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN PROPELLERS FOR VESSELS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No.121,163, dated November 21, 1871.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, LEWIS DE LILL, ofPhoenix, in the county of Oswego and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Screw-Propellers, for canal-boats and other vessels; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing-forming part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a horizontal section taken through the center of the propeller or wheel. Fig. 2 is a top view of the stern-bearing or journal for the shaft. Fig. 3 is a rear View of the wheel.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts in the several figures.

This invention relates to certain improvements in the construction and arrangement of screwpropelling wheels, whereby the buckets of the lower portion of the wheel work at a right angle to the keel of the boat and have a positive thrust at and near the lowest point of the stroke, where they get the firmest hold of the water or where the water offers the greatest resistance, being the furthest from the surface, while that part of the wheel that is most covered by the stern of the boat has little or no thrust; thus applying the power more economically, owing to the reduced percentage of slip or yielding of the fulcrum, and to that portion of the wheel most covered by the boat being neutral in its action, and also by the direct thrust, obviating all side strain, so that the boat will obey the rudder equally well in either direction, as hereinafter more fully explained.

In the accompanying drawing, A represents the stern of the boat, (but disproportioned to the size of the wheel.) 13 is the shaft, and G its sternbearing or journal. D D are the buckets, and E through which a bolt, f, passes to form a hinge- H joint between each bucket and its arm 0; this hinge is shown by f h, Fig. 1, and dotted lines in Fig. 3. The center lug h in the rear of each bucket is made longer than the others to form a coupling-arm or lever, and these arms of the several buckets are coupled to each other by links 6 i and a ring, 0. The ring 0 fits over a stationary eccentric or cam, m, that acts on the coupling devices of the buckets as the wheel revolves and changes the position of the buckets, so that the thrust of the wheel is more direct than it would otherwise be. The angle ofthe wheel and its shaft can be changed with relation to the boat, more or less, according to the work requiredthe angle being less for power and greater for speed. The number of buckets for a wheel can be varied, as in the ordinary wheels.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s

The hub and arms E c, with buckets D D hinged thereto, and coupled together with links 'i i and ring 0, oblique bearing 0, and cam m, all constructed and operating substantially as and for the purpose described.

The above specification of my invention signed by me this 14th day of August, 1871.

LEWIS DE LILL. Witnesses:

S. DE VEAU,

F. A. MORLEY. v (139) 

